Rotary starter.



E. J. THURBER & J. W. RACKLYEFT.

ROTARY STARTER.

APPLTCATION F|LED DEc.17, 1914.

1,185,146. Patented May 30, 19115.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

5.1. THURBER &1. w. RACKLYEFT.

ROTARY STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I7, 1914.

. l 9 1 857 1 46 Patented May 30, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

amm,

5.1. THUHBER I J. W. HACKLYEFT.

ROTARY STARTR.

APPLICATION FILED DEc.I7, I9I4.

Patented May 30, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

'UNITED STATES PATENT EDWARD J. THURBEH, or NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, AND JoHN w; or

DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AssIGNons, BY MEsNn AssIeNMENrs', 'ro NQMHENENGI- NnnnINe worms, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A conronA'rIoN. or MICHIGAN.

ROTARY STARTER.

To all lwhom, t may concern a citizen of the United States of America,

residing in New Orleans, parish of Orleans,

State of Louisiana, and JOHN W. RACK- LYnF'r, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Starters, of. which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings'.

The invention relates to rotaryfstarters for internal combustion engines'of the type actuated by compressed fluid.

The inventionl resides in vthe novel construction of starter whereby the rotary transmission mechanism and the pump are formed as an operative unit; in the provision of .a simple and eiicient compact unit; in the novel relation of the pump parts to the remaining elements of the structure; and

in certain details of construction and combinationsand arrangements of parts as will more .fully hereinafter appear.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section of a starter mechanism embodying the invention `,.Fig. 2 is an end elevation on the side of the pump, with certain parts broken away; and Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive illustrate certain .details of construction.

The starter embodying the inventionis primarily'designed for use on automobiles and marine engines of the explosion or combustion type, and `embodies in a compact structure a fluid-operated rotary motor, a transmission mechanism and a pump.

. Referring to the one embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, 1 designates the casing, divided by a web or partition 2 into two chambers. lWithin' one of vthe chambers is arranged a rotary motor,

while in the opposite chamber is arranged the' transmission and clutch mechanism. In the structure illustrated, the casing upon one side of the'web is provided with an an- Specification of Letters Patent. i 'l :av: r i

Application mea December 17, m14. serial No. 877,830.'

to the shaft `bearing 4. :A s construction of the rotor does not forma part of the lnvention of this application, a de` scrlptlon lthereof will not be given. The

`hub 7 of the rotor is keyed at 8 to a sleeve 9 that is journaled i'n the bearing 4 carried by the web 2.

[10 is the inlet for the yrotor chamber and 11 the exhaust Upon admission of acompressed fluid tothe chamber of `the rotor the latter will be set in rotation.

The4 transmission mechanism is herein shown as of the planetary type. Thus journaled upon stub shafts 12 arey ,pinions 13, which are in constant mesh with an internal or rim gear 14. AThe latter is carried by a dlsk 15 which is connected byl means of screws 16 to a member 17 that forms a part of a clutch. v

18 vis the other clutchV member.- whichwis kleyed to ashaft 19 that extends through the s eeve 9.

20 are spring-pressed dogs which in one direction of rotation ofthe member-"17 arey adapted to lock said membe'r to the member 18, while in the opposite direction of rotation will disconnect the members, l17` and.l 18.

As shown in Fig. 1, the sleeve 9 isprovided with a portionthat projects/within u the transmission mechanism housing, 'and this portion of the sleeve'is'provided with a plnion 21 that meshes with the pinions 13.i

22 is a shaft journaled ina bearing 23'fand i iixed to rotate with the shaft; 19, theshaft4 22 in effect forming a continuation of the member 19. v

The transmission mechanism chamber is l closed by a cap member 24that is connected by means of screws 25 to the edge `26 of ari annular flange 27 extending laterally from` the web 2 and concentric with 4the bearing 4.

rDetachably connected to. thecap of the rotor chamber is a pump housing 28 composed of l a ring-shaped portion 29 having a plurality'- of cylinders 30 (two being shown in the therefrom.

lstructure illustrated) extending laterally 31 are the pistons within the cylinders 30,

mental ,shoe 36 that engages acircular bearl ing 37, the correspondingends'of the portions 36 being spaced from each other and each of the members 36 being provided with .clutch collar. 41 having y adapted to/engage coperating teeth 43 upon the member 37 and in close proximity to the bearing 38.

' 44 is a rock arm journaled at 45 in the pump casing and provided With a bifurcat'ed l rocker 46 for shifting the clutch collar.

' naled. The shaft 19 therefor is in reality Asshown, the end of the pump housing,

is closed by a plate or cap member 47 having a bearing 48 Within. which the sleeve is j our# journaled in the bearings 23 and 48. Preferably the outer end of the sleeve39 is prof vided with a crank-engaging portion 49 for receiving the usual starting crank, in case the starter becomes, inoperative. Normally the crank-engaging portion 49`is closed by means'foffa-cap 50.

`While the preferred form of the invention has been shownanddescribed, it is not desired to limit the protection to the particular structure illustrated, but the invention is considered of suiicient scope to embody various modifications: r

Whatfwe claim as our invention is l. In a starter, a'housing, a rotor and a speed reduction transmission/mechanism arranged in said housing, a pump, a shaft alternatively driven by ythe rotor through said transmission mechanism, and driving the pump independently.. of said transmission mechanism, mechanismwithin the housing foroperatively connecting the pump to and disconnecting it. from said shaft, and means.

exterior to the housing for manually controlling xthe last named mechanism.

2. In .a starter, a housing having a plurality of chambers, a rotor, a speed reduction transmission mechanism and pump arranged in said chambers respectively, vand a shaft extending through said chambers alternatively -driven by the rotor Vthrough said transmission mechanismvand driving the pump .independently of said' transmission mechanism.

In a starter, a housing having a pluralityof chambers, a rotor, a speed reduction transmission mechanism and Dump arranged in said chambers respectively, -and la shaft journaled lin said housing alternatively driven by the rotor through said transmission mechanism and driving the pump lndependently of said transmission mechanism, and means for operatively confrom said shaft.

4. In a starter, a housing having a plurality of chambers, a rotor,I transmission mechanism and a pump arranged in said chambers respectively, a drive shaft actuated by the rotor, a drivenshaft actuated from the drive shaft through the medium of the transmission mechanism, one of said shafts having an extension projecting into the pump housing, and means for driving the pump from said extension.

` 5. In a starter, a housing having a` plurality of chambers, a rotor, transmission mechanism and .a' pump arranged in said chambers respectively, a drive shaft actuated by the rotor, a driven shaft actuated from the drive shaft through the medium o fthetransmission mechanism, one of said shaftshaving an extension projecting into the pump housing, land a shiftable-clutch carried lby said extension for operatively connecting the pump to or disconnecting it v from said extension.

6. In. a starter, a housing having a plurality of chambers, a rotor, transmission mechanismpand a pump arranged in said chambers respectively, a drive shaft actuated by the rotor, a driven shaft actuated from the drive shaft through the medium of the transmission mechanism,.said drive` shaft having 'an extension projecting. into the pump housing, and lmeans for driving the pump from said extension.

7. In a starter, a housing having a plurality of chambers, a rotor; transmission mechanism and a pump arranged in said chambers respectively. a drive shaft actu-` ated by the rotor, va driven shaft actuated from the drive shaft through the medium of the transmission mechanism, one of said vshafts having an extension projecting into Athe pump housing, an eccentric for actutuating the transmission mechanism, ashaft extending through said sleeve and having portions extending into all of said chambers. said shaft being driven .through 'the ,medium of said transmissionmechanism,-

and a clutch connection between the portion. of sald shaft arranged in the pump chamber and the pump.

9. In a starter, a housing having partii tions dividing the same into a plurality of chambers, a shaft passing through said chambers, bearings for said shaft,

for connecting ysaid rotor sleeve with said shaft, said housing including pump cylinder portions, pistons'in said cylinder portions, and operative connections between the pistons and said shaft, said connections including a clutch device.

10. In a starter, a rotary fluid-operated motor including a rotor and a shaft, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a reduction gearv train connecting the drive and driven shafts. an air pump including pistons, an eccentric on the driving shaft for operating the pistons, a clutch for operatively connecting the vdriving shaft and the eccentric, and a single housing inclosing all of said elements and throughwhich the driving shaft eX- tends.

11. In a starter, a rotor and transmission mechanism, a casing inclosing said mechanism and' said rotor, a cap inclosing one end of the casing, and a pump casing carried by said cap including` cylinders.

12. In a starter, a rotor and transmission mechanism, a casing inclosing said mechanism and said rotor, a cap inclosing one end of the casing, and a pump casing carried by said cap comprising an annular portion having pump cylinders projecting laterally therefrom. l

18. In a starter, a housing, a rotor, transmission mechanism, and a pump arranged in said housing, a drive shaft actuated by the'rotor, a driven shaft actuated from the drive shaft through the medium of the transmission mechanism, one of said shafts having an extension, an eccentric for actuating said pump loosely rotatable around said extension, a clutch 'member rotatable with said extension and shiftable into and out of engagement with said eccentric, a piston for said pumpe-connecting rod for said pistonv having 4a segmental strap engaging-said eccentric, and means for holding saidl strap in engagement with said eccentric.

14:. In a self-starter, a combined starting and pumping unit including a starting motor and its shaft connectible with the shaft of the engine to be started, and a housing vfor inclosing said starting motor and shaft,

said unit also including a pumping section, said pumping section including pump cylinders and an annular member secured to said starting section housing, said shaft projecting through said pumping member section, pistons in said pump cylinders, an eccentric mounted for rotation around said shaft,fsaid eccentric having a clutch face, a

- mental shiftable clutch member rotatable with said shaft and shiftable into and out of connection with said eccentric, lconnecting rods secured to said pistons, and including Seg-- mental strap portions engaging said eccentric, the segmental strap portions of .one connecting rod being spaced from that of the other connecting rod, and' means for v holding said segmental strap portions in engagement with said eccentric.

15. In a combined starting and pumping unit, a rotor, a drive shaft, a .driven shaft,

transmission mechanism intermediate 'the drive and driven shafts, a pump including pump cylinders and their pistons, one of said shafts having an extension, an eccentric loosely mounted on said extension and including a clutch face, a clutch member mounted to A.turn with said extension and longitudinally shiftable thereon, including a clutch face to coperate with the clutch.

face of the eccentric, connecting rods between said pistons and said eccentric, and

means for holding said connecting rods in' contact with said eccentric.

16. In a combinedstarting and pumping unit, a rotor, a drive and a driven shaft, transmissionv mechanism intermediate the drive and driven shaft, a pump including pump cylinders and their pistons, one ofI portions engaging said eccentric, said segportions being provided with grooves, and a ring arranged in the grooves in said segmental portions for holding the -rotor chamber and exhausting the same.

In testimony whereof, we aiiix our signa-4 tures in presence of two Witnesses.

EDW. J. THURBER.

Witnesses: v

SOLOMON WoLFF,

Mimizan M.. PENDERGAST.

' JOHN W. RACKLYEFT.' Witnesses:

ADELAIDE F. ADAMS,

J. S. MURRAY. 

